Deep Autumn Rings
by silentmusic16
Summary: The cliff overlooking the bay was where I went when I needed to escape. Completed.


**This is kind of different from how I usually write, I think. Hopefully you guys will like it.**

**enjoy...**

**Song: Soil, Soil by Tegan and Sara**

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It looked like it was going to rain that day, which is why I slipped on my black zipper-hoodie before walking out the door. Covering my ears were my headphones; white, large, and noise cancelling. In my pocket was only my Zune; I didn't want the distraction of a cell phone where I was going.

The walk was long, but it was also beautiful and quiet, so I didn't mind too much. This far into Autumn, the leaves were blood red and tan yellow and dead brown and they made a collage in the forest where the trees were close and in great numbers.

The long walk ended onto a cliff looking over the bay. At this time of year, the industrial ships weren't coming up the river which left room for the nice ones that the people of the town owned to dock in the water. The cliff was maybe 50 feet above the murky blue water, give or take a few.

I came to the cliff when I needed to escape. I came when life was getting too hard to live or when I need peace and quiet; the cliff never judged me or threatened me or looked at me in disappointment. I had found the cliff when I was very young. I ran away from my mother when I was angry at her one day and stumbled upon my paradise. The whole area just calmed me and wandered back to her, apologizing after she yelled at me for how scared she was that I had gone missing. She forgave me, of course.

But back to the story.

When I made it to the cliff, I sat down in my usual place and looked down into the water, all those feet below me. I watched as the wind picked up and the waves grew stronger, pushing harder against the sailing vessels tied to the wooden docks. I wondered if one of those boats would capsize, and if anyone was on it.

After I got bored of watching the waves form and break I laid straight on my back and gazed at the large gray cloud blanketing the sky. Some places where lighter than others; other places were more daunting than the rest. I tried to find shapes in the single cloud, but I couldn't picture anything.

Although my headphones were noise blocking, I heard when she walked past my head, and I turned to face her. All I caught was a pair of black vans walking away. I figured she was leaving and so I turned back to the clouds.

Maybe an hour later I finally sat up and looked around. The girl was still here, sitting far away and just on the edge of the cliff. She was hugging her knees, but I didn't know if it was for comfort or warmth. Maybe both.

With nothing else to do, I pulled my headphones down around my neck and walked up to her. I reached the girl in less than two minutes and, though I know she knew I was there, she said nothing. I plopped myself down next to her and stared out into the water again.

"Hey, are you cold?" I asked her; she was visibly shaking and I knew it was cold out from the way the wind hit my own face.

"I'm fine." Her answer was almost too quiet for me to hear.

"Are you sure? I could let you use my hoodie."

"I said I'm fine, didn't I?"

I wasn't expecting the outburst of anger, and so I was silenced when she yelled.

"I'm sorry." She ran a pale hand through her blonde hair "I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you."

"It's ok."

No one talked again until a chilling breeze swept over the cliff.

"Is the hoodie offer still valid to take?" she asked me with a pleading look.

"Yep." I smirked. In no time I had taken the hoodie and handed it to the girl, who slipped it on and sighed.

"So warm…."

I laughed. "I'm Roxas. And you are?"

"Namine." She shook my outstretched hand.

When we shook hands, I could see her face better. She was pretty cute, though very pale and tired looking. There were rings under her eyes that showed that she hadn't been getting any good sleep, and her blonde hair was dull.

"So, is this your first time here?" I asked her. She seemed fascinated by the bay below us.

"No, I've been coming here for years. You?"

"Same. It's so nice and quiet here. The perfect places to just sit and think."

"Sometimes…" she paused "Sometimes everything gets so overwhelming and the cliff is the only place where I can sort out everything."

"I know how you feel." I agreed.

A strong wind blew in after that, and I shivered from just how cold it was.

"You look so cold. Do you want your sweater back?"

"No, it's fine. You can keep using it."

"But I feel bad…." She looked down, ashamed, until she lifted her head and her eyes lit up. "We can share it!"

"What?"

Without speaking she unzipped the hoodie and pulled one of her arms out, then she held that side out to me. "Come close, we can share." A sincere smile graced her face.

I followed her directions and moved closer, huddling under the hoodie and slipping one arm into the free sleeve. We were leaning on each other, though it wasn't surprising, given the small space we had to occupy.

We stayed like that forever, bracing against strong winds while watching the water churn below, all without a word spoken between us. That is, until she whispered "thank you" into my ear.

"I was going to jump. I really was. But you saved me." She slipped her free hand onto mine and our fingers intertwined perfectly. She leaned her head on my shoulder and I saw her smile a small smile.

I didn't ask her why she would jump, and I didn't ask her exactly how it was that I helped. I had no right knowing. But knowing that I saved a life was felt amazing.

"Would you like some hot cocoa?" I asked her after a while.

"That would be wonderful."

I pulled her with me as I stood up and gave her my half of the hoodie. "We can't both fit under there while we walk."

"That's fine. We can still hold hands, anyway."

She grabbed my hand and I lead her towards my home.

No one was home yet, so I brought Namine into the kitchen with me and made us hot cocoa. When they were done, she followed me into the living room. I turned the tv on to the science channel, where they were showing beautiful pictures of space set to soft music. Namine leaned her head on my shoulder as we absently watched. My free arm was around her shoulder and warmth radiated from her body.

As a single tear fell down her cheek, it started to rain outside.

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**So, uh, I'd really like feedback on this one. **

**I only wrote it because A) I haven't put anything out in a while B) I really wanted to write something C) I was just feeling...weird, and I needed to get my emotions out.**

**review please**


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